Q: Can you suggest specific products to extend the blending time of acrylics?
I
have tried a number of mediums and found that although they add gloss
to my painting they are also overly viscous. What products and
techniques do you advocate?
A: Several acrylic paint manufacturers make retarders that
significantly extend the drying time of acrylic paints. Other mediums,
including acrylic glazing liquids, can also slow down the drying time
of acrylic. Glazing liquids thin the paint mixture rather than making
it more viscous, so this may be the product for you.
An artist can work a bit of the retarder or glazing liquid into the
paint, or squirt some of the medium onto the individual piles of paint
on the palette to prevent them from skinning over--and to extend the
drying time of any mixtures made using the paint from the piles. The
actual drying time of acrylic paint modified with retarders or other
mediums depends on several factors, including the humidity and
temperature of the painting location.